Misc Thread VI: Return of the Threadi

[IMBoring25]

Not valid. If the skill set is all you need, you could even, in theory, use a mobile mechanic who responds on a motorcycle or in some areas a bicycle.

If you have a flat that's not a simple puncture and no spare, you have to have a flatbed wrecker or be willing to deliver the flat tire to a tire store and leave the car on a jack on the side of the road until you get back.

[Rope-Pusher]

Invalid!

Fickset

[tankinbeans]

I once had a bunch of people mugging me at work because I was changing a tire in the parking lot. I'd bounced off a curb that morning after an ice storm and bent the rim all to shiite around the bead. Since work was 11 miles away, and the rim was still mostly wheel shaped and holding air I continued to work.

Fast forward 8 hours and the tire was flat and I needed the spare. My coworkers were confused as they always thought changing the tire meant calling AAA. They couldn't believe that I knew how. Wasn't sure whether I should be amused or offended.

[Teamwork]

I once had a bunch of people mugging me at work because I was changing a tire in the parking lot. I'd bounced off a curb that morning after an ice storm and bent the rim all to shiite around the bead. Since work was 11 miles away, and the rim was still mostly wheel shaped and holding air I continued to work.

Fast forward 8 hours and the tire was flat and I needed the spare. My coworkers were confused as they always thought changing the tire meant calling AAA. They couldn't believe that I knew how. Wasn't sure whether I should be amused or offended.

Almost a spot on story happened to me but it wasn't my own car it was a co-workers. When I even presented the idea that I could change it out, if he had a spare, and a jack people legitimately thought I was joking.

I wasn't disagreeing saying that people should know how to change a flat tire but the fact is aside from a forum like this probably 80% of the people I encounter in real life don't. I could see a company selling this notion more so then weight savings... I mean how much could one full size spare (hypothetically full size) weight reduce in a compact/midsize sedan? Maybe in an SUV or pick up truck it could be noticeable and not the weight of a pre-teen?

[theholycow]

Weight of a spare has a loose correlation with weight of the vehicle...a 1500lb subcompact isn't going to have a 75 pound monster spare, and a 7500lb SUV built for heavy towing isn't going to have a 15lb donut. Either way, it's always such a small percentage that, if such a percentage truly made a meaningful difference for fuel economy, it would make equal sense to reduce the fuel tank size a little...yeah it's slightly inconvenient, but so is not having a spare.

I'm surprised to hear that so many people have no idea how to jack up the car and bolt on a wheel. I don't think I've ever heard from anyone who isn't confident that they could at least figure it out by following the instruction label. Plenty of people would want someone else to get dirty out in the winter cold or summer heat, rain, etc, and be in danger from passers by so therefore would choose to have their already-paid roadside service do it, but those people still know how.

The only people I can think of are two physically small women:

I'm sure my mom has never done it and probably wouldn't be able to tell someone how, but if it needed to be done then she could figure out the procedure -- though she most likely lacks the physical strength to break loose gorilla-tightened lug nuts (and lacks the psyche for getting dirty).

My diminutive sister might never have changed one and might assume she can't, but I bet she could.

[IMBoring25]

People would be able to do a lot of the things they "can't" if properly motivated.

[Rope-Pusher]

Wasn't sure whether I should take a fence.

Fickset

[tankinbeans]

I also wonder if the lack of a spare is a function of boot space. With tires getting larger and larger spares mist need to increase in size so as to prevent the vehicle being too uneven on the motorway. Theoretically the Focus RS doesn't have a spare because the boot isn't configured for a 19' wheel (I haven't been to a Ford dealer to verify). In the ST, which had 18s, there was a "full size" spare, but it was a -1 diameter.

[Rope-Pusher]

I also wonder if the lack of a spare is a function of boot space. With tires getting larger and larger spares mist need to increase in size so as to prevent the vehicle being too uneven on the motorway. Theoretically the Focus RS doesn't have a spare because the boot isn't configured for a 19' wheel (I haven't been to a Ford dealer to verify). In the ST, which had 18s, there was a "full size" spare, but it was a -1 diameter.

No, you are wrong. The boot space is decided by interior packaging engineers. They have CAD models of the 95% Male, wearing winter footwear, that must be able to be seated in all the passenger positions as well as the driver's seat and be able to operate the foot pedals. It has little or nothing to do with whether they leave enough room to stow a full-sized roadwheel and tire assembly in the trunk or if one of the rear seat passengers must hold it on their lap until it can be repaired/replaced.

[Teamwork]

I also wonder if the lack of a spare is a function of boot space. With tires getting larger and larger spares mist need to increase in size so as to prevent the vehicle being too uneven on the motorway. Theoretically the Focus RS doesn't have a spare because the boot isn't configured for a 19' wheel (I haven't been to a Ford dealer to verify). In the ST, which had 18s, there was a "full size" spare, but it was a -1 diameter.

Think it's more than just the size here as I've done fairly extensive research on both cars. The one thing that intrigued me about the Focus ST and actually ended up being one of the 3 final deal breakers for me was the fact the US version had an 11 gallon fuel tank compared to a 13 gallon one in Europe. I think both versions of the vehicles have spares so I was never really sure why that was a thing. C&D solidified in the long term test that the average range was under 250 miles from F to E. I think that's honestly unacceptable on modern day standards but gives me a good laugh when GTI guys complain about the 300-350 mile range.

For the Focus RS I think the drive train architecture and fuel tank move plays more of a part why there's no spare tire offered. The Focus RS is definitely an interesting story car with the amounts of actual material modifications that were done to the platform and such. I'm actually really lusty over the model itself and have to admit that if I could rationalize the means I would definitely try it out. I also like it for the simple fact that it forces Subaru to actually "try".

[tankinbeans]

Factual correction on the ST is that it does have a 12.7 galleon tank. A mere zippo which was indeed annoying.

[Rope-Pusher]

My sister might never have changed one and might assume she can't, but I bet she could.

Fickset

[Rope-Pusher]

Factual correction on the ST is that it does have a 12.7 galleon tank. A mere zippo which was indeed annoying.

Sometimes, fuel tank sighs is limited by the available space above or around. Other times, there are ground clearance considerations and the bottom of the tank needs to move upward. Aisle also say that when push comes to shove, when a vehicle is near to going down to a lower test weight class if only a little bit of wait savings could be had, that the fuel tank volume is determined in an effort to achive higher fuel economy ratings. It's like a boxer getting themselves dehydrated before weighing-in for a fight, except in this case, the amount of liquid is permanently reduced but the fighter can go drink and get rehydrated after the weigh-in.

[AHTOXA]

But this is why I like full size spares on a matching rim. Easy as pie. My tires have less than 5k miles on them, so diameter difference due to wear isn't a concern. That, and I don't have an LSD to worry about anyway.

...and, of course, you do a 5-tire rotation however often you rotate, thereby keeping wear consistent, not letting your spare rot untested for years on end, and not wasting the treadlife of the spare.

I have actually never done a 5-tire rotation on a vehicle. But then again, I haven't kept a vehicle long enough to rot out a spare tire.

[AHTOXA]

I'm surprised to hear that so many people have no idea how to jack up the car and bolt on a wheel. I don't think I've ever heard from anyone who isn't confident that they could at least figure it out by following the instruction label. Plenty of people would want someone else to get dirty out in the winter cold or summer heat, rain, etc, and be in danger from passers by so therefore would choose to have their already-paid roadside service do it, but those people still know how.

A bit of a plain story, but I had to remove the front tire of my brand new truck just a couple thousand miles in.

I was driving down a finely graded back road, and a small rock happened to bounce JUST right to lodge itself between the brake disk and the metal dust shield behind the brake disk. Made a hell of a noise, so I pulled the tire off and got the stone outa there.

The odds of that stone being the right size and shape as well as bouncing just so to lodge in there were astronomical.